i2hub closes
On Monday, i2hub, the service that utilized RPI’s Internet2 link for chat and file sharing, closed its doors over fears of impending lawsuits from the Recording Industry Association of America. The site now contains a picture of the “Remember i2hub” sign that was hung on a window of the CII last spring and links to articles written at the service’s beginning and end. According to the Associated Press, this year, 635 users at colleges across the country have been sued as a result of their usage of i2hub.
Several months ago, the Supreme Court ruled against the P2P sharing program Grokster, overturning a previous ruling indemnifying makers of a technology from possible illicit uses. This case was finally settled on Monday, and Grokster agreed to pay $50 million and cease operation of its peer-to-peer network.
Busses for break
his year’s academic breaks were recently announced. Busses will be running for Thanksgiving break to and from the airport and the bus and train stations.
On Tuesday, November 22, a bus will leave the armory at 6 am for Albany Airport. At 7 am, there will be transportation to the airport, Amtrak rail, and Greyhound bus stations. The schedule will continue until 7 pm going to Amtrak and Greyhound on odd hours and the airport on even hours. The last trip at 7 pm will service the airport, Greyhound, and Amtrak. The service will run in the same way on Wednesday, but will end at noon.
On Sunday, November 27, buses will run from noon to 10 pm. Even hour trips will depart from Albany Airport and all odd hour buses will leave from Amtrak and Greyhound. The last trip at 10 pm will service Amtrak, Greyhound, and the airport.
Research grant awarded
Professor Brian Benicewicz and his team have received a three-year, $900,000 grant from the Department of Energy to research high-temperature fuel cell polymer membranes—one of the core technologies necessary in creating fuel cells. This research is part of an overall $64 million research plan by the DOE that seeks to make hydrogen fuel cell vehicles and refilling stations practical by 2020.
The polymer membrane being developed at RPI makes hydrogen purification, separation, and storage possible at high temperatures—capabilities which are key to optimizing hydrogen fuel cells for practicality and efficiency. This marks the second major grant RPI has received for fuel cell research, as the National Science Foundation awarded the Institute a $3.2 million grant last June.
